Robertson: Bonus Race Won't Bring Extra Nerves

Neil Robertson insists that the BetVictor Bonus up for grabs at next week's BetVictor Welsh Open will not bring him extra pressure, despite the fact that he has 15 players chasing him for the £150,000 windfall.

Robertson currently tops the ranking list which runs across the four BetVictor Home Nations events, with the race leader at the end of the event in Llandudno to bank the bonus. Click here to see the rankings - all players down to Mark Selby in 18th are in with a chance, other than Judd Trump who has not entered the event in Wales, and Lei Peifan who failed to qualify. 

"It's going to be a talking point throughout next week and obviously I'll hope that other results go my way," said Robertson, who has topped the list since winning the BetVictor English Open in Brentwood in September. "But it doesn't add pressure for me. There are always a few nerves before a match, but for me it's the same in the first round as it would be in a big final. I've played deciding frames in tournaments with a lot of money on the line, but at that stage it's never about the money, the competitive side of you just wants to win. I'm sure the likes of Kyren are the same. So the money doesn't mean as much as it would to someone like Robert Milkins who won the bonus a couple of years ago.

"I might go out in the first round and still win the bonus, or I might get to the final and not win it. My number one focus is to win the tournament because that's what I try to do every week. I love Llandudno and the crowds, so it's exciting to be going there with a lot at stake."

Victory in Brentwood ended a two-year winless streak for Australia's Robertson. Since then he has not played in another final, though he did reach the semis of the Champion of Champions, and has appeared in three further ranking event quarter-finals this term, including last week's Machineseeker German Masters.

"I feel my game has been consistent all season," added the left-hander, who turns 43 next Tuesday. "A few times my opponent has just played unbelievably well. Last week in Berlin I made four centuries against Hammad Miah then beat Judd Trump, but then Yuan Sijun was more or less flawless against me and I lost 5-4. It was similar at the Masters against Shaun Murphy and the Champion of Champions against Mark Williams, I didn't do much wrong in those games. The main thing for me now is that I am going into tournaments feeling I am playing well enough to win them."

While he admits that Trump and Kyren Wilson have been the standout players this season, Robertson feels his own level is not far behind and he will be able to make up ground as his ranking position improves from 19th. 

"Because I am lower down now I am bound to get tougher draws and face the top players earlier in events," he added. "The good news is that over the next 18 months I have very few points coming off, so if I can keep playing this way I should climb back up pretty fast. 

"Judd and Kyren are playing most of their matches on table one, which they absolutely deserve as world number one and World Champion. I'm often playing the earlier rounds on other tables, then when I get on the TV table it's harder to adjust. I know what that advantage is like because I've had it before, when I was at the top. If you play a lot of matches on TV you start to feel like it's 'your' table and straight away that gives you an edge over your opponent. I have to accept I don't deserve that now and I need to try to earn that right again."

The BetVictor Welsh Open runs from February 10-16. Tickets are still available from as little as £33 for a full day. For details click here.